Canada–South Korea 2023 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals

1. Introduction

Working together, the governments of Canada and South Korea aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and South Korea who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in advanced manufacturing, clean technologies, digital technologies, and health and bio-sciences sectors.

2. Application deadlines

3. Sectors of focus

• advanced manufacturing, including smart factory and smart manufacturing, advanced materials, automotive manufacturing, robotics and automation
• clean technologies, including water and waste water management, smart grid and energy storage, battery-related technologies, renewable energy and hydrogen technologies
• digital technologies, including artificial intelligence for industry, cyber security, smart vehicle and smart cities
• health and bio-sciences, including pharmaceuticals, digital health, medical devices and mobile health

4. Eligibility

To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative R&D project that meets the following criteria:

4.1 Canadian eligibility requirements

Canadian applicant(s) must also meet the following criteria:

• be an incorporated, profit-oriented small or medium-sized business in Canada
• have 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
• pursue growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada
• have a differentiated and protectable technology that could become competitive in global markets
• have sufficient working capital and resources to undertake a multi-year R&D collaboration and commercialize the results
• be committed to significant growth through international market expansion

Preference may be given to SME applicants who:

• have a minimum of 15 full-time equivalent employees,
• have commercialized one or more products domestically or internationally, and
• have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue.

4.2 Consortium

The project consortium must include at least:

• 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees,
• 1 eligible foreign partner, and
• The parties listed above must be unrelated parties (i.e. no direct, indirect, beneficial or constructive ownership interest between these parties).

The project partners that form the consortium must agree on a plan addressing intellectual property rights and intent to commercialize.

4.3 Project

The project must focus on co-development, adaptation, and/or validation of an innovative product, process, or technology-based service that has:

• substantial commercial potential and outcomes that can be realized within 2-3 years of completion of the project, and
• a civilian (non-military) purpose.

The project must demonstrate:

• a complementary technological contribution from each partner,
• an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the cooperation between the participants, and
• a balanced contribution between project partners and countries (i.e. no more than 70% of the effort contributed by any one partner or country).

4.4 Foreign eligibility requirements

South Korean companies must meet the criteria outlined in the South Korean call for proposals announcement (in Korean only) webpage.

5. Funding

Eligible project participants in collaborative projects selected through this call for proposals may receive funding from their respective national funding body. Funds will be provided in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, rules and procedures established by the relevant national funding body, country, jurisdiction and/or program.

Non-eligible Canadian project participants (e.g. universities, research institutes, etc., and participants from other countries) are welcome to participate on a self-funded basis or as sub-contractors to funded participants, according to each country's funding regulations.

Note: One country and/or project partner cannot represent more than 75% of the total project budget.

Additional country-specific funding parameters are outlined below:

5.1 Canadian funding

In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP), an international innovation R&D funding program offered by Global Affairs Canada in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). NRC IRAP is responsible for delivering this call for proposals and for managing any resulting funding agreements.

Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $600,000 CAD over 12 to 36 months.

Note: Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients before they can be considered for funding through this call for proposals. For more information on NRC IRAP eligibility and becoming an NRC IRAP client, please contact NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727.

Note: Canadian SME applicants may apply to more than one NRC IRAP call for proposals simultaneously. However, NRC IRAP may limit the number of funded projects per applicant. Canadian SME applicants who are applying to more than one opportunity or who have ongoing NRC IRAP projects should speak to their NRC IRAP representative for more information.

5.2 Foreign funding

In South Korea, this call for proposals is offered through the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT). KIAT is responsible for the delivery of this call for proposals and the management of any resulting funding agreements.

Foreign applicants should consult the funding parameters outlined on the South Korean call for proposals announcement (in Korean only) webpage.

6. Application process

Application processes and evaluations will be performed independently by each national funding body in accordance with their national and institutional laws and regulations. Once each national funding body has evaluated the applications received, a final joint project selection will be performed.

Each applicant must submit all required documents to, and meet the due diligence process of, their respective national funding body. Failure at any point or for any reason to do so may cause the entire collaborative project application to be considered incomplete or ineligible and render the entire project consortium ineligible for funding through this call for proposals.

Information on respective application processes follows below:

6.1 Canadian application process

The Canadian application process has 4 phases:

1. Registration
2. Expression of interest (EOI)
3. International consortium project proposal (ICPP)
4. National funding body proposal and funding agreement

Step 1: Registration phase

Each Canadian applicant must register using the Register button at the bottom of this page. Basic information about the applicant and the organization will be required upon registration.

NRC IRAP will review registrations for this call for proposals and contact applicants if more information is required. Qualifying applicants will proceed to the next phase and be invited to submit an expression of interest form.

Step 2: Expression of interest phase

During this phase, each Canadian applicant seeking funding must submit an expression of interest (EOI) form outlining basic information on the applicant and the collaborative project.

While completing the EOI form, each Canadian applicant is encouraged to contact their NRC IRAP representative to discuss their project idea and receive guidance on preparing their submission.

It is recommended that applicants submit the EOI as early as possible. EOIs will be evaluated by the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit the more detailed international consortium project proposal in collaboration with their project partners.

Step 3: International consortium project proposal phase

During the international consortium project proposal (ICPP) phase, all project partners work together to complete and submit an ICPP package to each implicated national funding body. The contents of the ICPP package are unique to each national funding body.

In this call for proposals, the Canadian ICPP application package consists of:

1. an International Consortium Project Proposal (ICPP) form outlining the
   • project consortium,
   • collaborative project,
   • expected outcomes, and
   • funding request.
2. a draft International Consortium Agreement containing descriptions of the:
   • roles and responsibilities of each consortium member,
   • project management framework,
   • financial plan,
   • division of intellectual property rights, and
   • confidentiality and publication agreements, and liability clauses.

Canadian ICPP applications will be evaluated by an NRC IRAP evaluation team including the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Next, the amalgamated evaluation results will be shared between both implicated national funding bodies to jointly select the collaborative projects that will be invited to proceed to the final national funding body proposal and funding agreement stage.

Step 4: National funding body proposal and funding agreement phase

During the national funding body proposal and funding agreement phase, all eligible project partners work independently to complete funding proposals and sign legally binding funding agreements with their respective national funding body. Canadian applicants will work with their NRC IRAP representative to prepare an NRC IRAP funding proposal and contribution agreement.

6.2 South Korean application process

For information related to application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application packages and national funding body proposals and funding agreements, please consult the South Korean call for proposals announcement (in Korean only).

7. Contacts

For questions, concerns, or for more information, please contact the appropriate call for proposals representative listed below:

7.1 Canada

Qing Yu
Korea National Program Coordinator for NRC IRAP
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Qing.Yu@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

7.2 South Korea

Youngmin Jeong
Researcher, International R&D Cooperation Team
Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT)
wjddudals00@kiat.or.kr

8. Registration

To begin the application process, all interested Canadian applicants must register for this opportunity by clicking the Register button below: